Originally posted by @sonshipYou confuse modern society's new man with God's.You miss the point.
The point is that racism in itself is not sinful.
I think that you miss the point. Shouldn't the Christians' point be to be brought into God's perfect will ?
"What am I allowed to practice because it is Okay?"
This is the question of man-centered priorities.
This is to be preoccupied with hoping God smiles ...[text shortened]... one new man" to emerge in city after city where the world can see Christ is all and in all.[/b]
Originally posted by @eladarNo, I do not at all.
You confuse modern society's new man with God's.
Why do you say that ?
Jesus' "one new man" is the one He created on the cross - creating the two in Himself into "one new man" (Eph. 2:15) . That is the new man we are told to "put on".
We put on " the new man " through being renewed in the mind through the Spirit of the indwelling Christ.
This is not just my philosophy but how I have lived in the normal church life.
It is important to notice that Ephesians 2:15 does not just say "the two in Himself" , referring specifically to Jew and Gentile. But it says "the two in Himself into ONE new man."
That of course means that walls of division between Gentile nations as well have been brought down in the "one new man".
It would make no sense for the Apostle Paul to mean Jews and Gentiles were now in one Body but Gentiles remained in un-peaceful divisions of enmity among themselves in the Christian church.
"Therefore remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh ... apart from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world,
But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have become near in the blood of Christ.
For He Himself is our peace, He who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of partition, the enmity, abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments in ordinances,
that He might create the two in Himself into one new man, so making peace."
Originally posted by @eladarThere are a million reasons He could have said that other than implying that racism is good. The fact that you keep on putting words in His mouth just shows that you have an agenda.
Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
...[text shortened]... said.
26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
Originally posted by @dj2beckerI did not say racism is good. I just said it is not inherently sinful.
There are a million reasons He could have said that other than implying that racism is good. The fact that you keep on putting words in His mouth just shows that you have an agenda.
We have a definition of racism as follows
prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.
And
the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.
noun: racism
Good enough I think.
Now notice one of the early problem facing the Christian church - the discrimination surrounding the treatment of the Hellenistic widows and the Hebrew widows.
" And in those days, as the disciples were multiplying in number, a murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews occurred, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily dispensing.
And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples together to them and said, It is not fitting for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables." (Acts 6:1,2)
I am glad that they did not give then a message on how racism was not inherently sinful.
Their way to deal with the schism was to have serving ones who were filled with the Holy Spirit to oversee the matter. More Christ was needed. For in the one new man Christ is all and in all.
"But brothers look for seven well-attested men from among you, FULL OF the SPIRIT and of wisdom, whom we will appoint over the need." (v.3)
They were not trying to fix the divisions caused by racism in society as a whole. But in the community of the church the answer was that men filled with Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, should oversee the matter.
1.) In the EKKLESIA, in the called out assembly of the church the problem had to be met, not encouraged of excused.
2.) The solution was Christ and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to must be applied to the weakness of the immature disciples who were murmuring.
In the normal church life there cannot be schisms about Hebrews against Hellenist. Neither can there be Scythian, barbarian, Greek or Jew. Any "ism" promoting innate superiority or inferiority along these lines God would not allow to divide up Christ's church.
God hasn't changed.
Originally posted by @sonshipSo if one claims that black athletes are the fastest sprinters, this would be racism?
We have a definition of racism as follows
[quote] prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.
And
the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or super ...[text shortened]... rity along these lines God would not allow to divide up Christ's church.
God hasn't changed.
Originally posted by @eladarI think it sounds like a kind of racism stereotype.
So if one claims that black athletes are the fastest sprinters, this would be racism?
Did I disappoint you?
Were you expecting me to say "Oh no, no, no" ?
The issue with me is t he building of the church.
The solution to the schisms preventing its building is deeper experience of Christ.
" ... I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." (Matt. 16:18b)
When Jesus said " I will build My church " I take that to be a prophesy that cannot fail to materialize. I want to be a part of that church that Christ builds.
If I have an opportunity to be a part of that church that He said He will build, and I hang on to my racial preferences of inferiority and/or superiority I will be defeated. I want to be overcoming.
It is clear to me that some in these last days before His second coming, will through His grace overcome.
See Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21 .
Do you want to meet Him as an overcomer having put on the one new man ?
Or do you want to stand before Him defeated by your besetting weaknesses ?
I think the Christians of different natural races should wake up and realize that we have a common enemy. And by being saturated with Christ we can woo "The Desire of the nations" (Haggai 2:7) back to this earth.
Our overcoming has to do with His coming.
A critical mass of overcoming believers around the world will be the beachhead for the Lord's return.
I am not waiting for a worldwide revival.
I am expecting a critical mass of overcoming saints is what God needs as a kind of end time Gideon's little army. See the book of Judges.
Originally posted by @sonshipObviously you never played football.
I think it sounds like a kind of racism stereotype.
Did I disappoint you?
Were you expecting me to say "Oh no, no, no" ?
The issue with me is t he building of the church.
The solution to the schisms preventing its building is deeper experience of Christ.
Originally posted by @eladar
[b]By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land. 24 Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens. 25 Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land.
Did Jesus agree with the mass slaughter of men, women, children and babies?[/b]
Did Jesus agree with the mass slaughter of men, women, children and babies?
How has the Holy Spirit used this matter of the possible mass slaughter of men, women, children and babies been an edifying aspect of your own spiritual growth as a Christian ?